How many studios have produced the sheer volume of hits of Ryu ga Gotoku Studio in recent years? With almost every changing of the calendar, fans are treated to another fantastic brawler or JRPG from the now-famed company, but it’s fair to say that they all have a very similar flavour — excluding the triumphant refresh that was Yakuza: Like a Dragon, of course. Well, the tried and tested formula is given a fresh splash of seawater with this latest effort: a pirate-themed brawler spin-off following Goro Majima, a long-time mainstay in the decades-spanning series. This is more than just a side quest for the Mad Dog of Shimano, though; there’s an absolute hoard of things going for it that shake up the series in a zany, hard-hitting and utterly enjoyable way.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii begins in the wake of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, albeit from the different viewpoint of Goro Majima instead of Ichiban Kasuga. It’s not absolutely essential to have played the previous entry, even if some side characters, locations and activities show up here again.
Pirate Yakuza is in many ways a ‘gaiden’ — a side story — as Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was before it. However, this is somewhat misleading, as Pirate Yakuza is fully stacked with a lengthy campaign and an absolute load of side activities, not to mention a brand-new naval combat and exploration system that makes it feel even bigger than it already is. Really, though, the true joy at play here is the ability to be controlling Goro Majima from start to finish. There’s a reason this utterly lovable and slightly unhinged oddball is so beloved by fans, and it feels well overdue to have him as the sole playable character for the first time in the series, having previously shared the spotlight with Kazuma Kiryu in Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami 2.
Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii begins with Majima awakening on a deserted beach, plagued by amnesia with his short- to mid-term memory utterly missing. As players navigate through the unfolding story — one that, as ever, is ripe with conspiracy and a seedy criminal underworld — he gradually begins to reclaim his memory, but not before he rebrands himself as a pirate captain and assembles himself a crew to sail the seas around Hawaii in search of something to jog his lost memories.
The story here is one with lower stakes than the mainline series entries, which is a welcome change of pace even if it occasionally lends itself to a lack of urgency. Thankfully, the characters are typically intriguing, serving to help the story tick along even during its very few stumbles. The plot relies fairly heavily on the amnesia trope, but it’s done well enough to remain interesting and compelling. Early on, Majima befriends a young tiger cub who he just happens to name Goro, his own first name, without even knowing it at that point. It’s these tongue-in-cheek winks to the audience that make the unfolding story endearing even if it is told through a tired trope.
The combination of Yakuza and pirates is just a fantastic idea that works very, very well, and the setting makes full use of this cocktail to glorious effect. Alongside the familiar brawler action (with a few sweet tweaks), Majima also takes control of his ship in naval traversal and combat in a formula that will feel very familiar to those who’ve played Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag or Assassin’s Creed: Rogue. Players can sail from location to location, and while this isn’t entirely seamless, it still lends a grander sense of scale to this side of the world that was established in Infinite Wealth.
Also distinguishing it from Infinite Wealth is the return to the brawler action that made the series in the first place. Majima’s gameplay nods to his abilities in Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami 2, but has been entirely overhauled, streamlining existing abilities and making room for some fresh new mechanics. This time around there are only two fighting styles that can be switched between at will: the Mad Dog style that is reminiscent of Majima’s legacy combat, and the brand-new Sea Dog style that embraces his newfound pirate leanings.
Both styles utilise bladed weapons, but where Mad Dog uses vicious attacks with Majima’s tantō, Sea Dog has him brandishing dual cutlasses to windmill through foes. This makes Sea Dog the obvious choice for scything through larger mobs while Mad Dog excels in boss fights, but there’s a ton of great abilities in both styles to encourage players to switch between them frequently. It’s not the deepest combat system out there, but as a typical brawler it certainly gets the job done.
Another first-time addition to the series is the ability of a dedicated jump button. Yeah — about time, right? Sadly, it’s baby steps with this one, as jumping can only be utilised in combat, and it never feels entirely necessary — in fact, it can feel downright clunky given that the jump and sprint actions are mapped to the same button. There are some air combos to juggle enemies in the air with, but it’s simply not executed well enough to feel like an extension to the series’ brawler action. If anything, it feels tacked on. Perhaps future entries will refine it, so for now it can be seen as a promising first iteration.
The entire island of Honolulu is also fully stacked and explorable once again, now with real-time combat instead of turn-based battles while roaming the streets. For players who have finished Infinite Wealth, it’s a joy to return here as a different character and witness some of Ichiban’s lasting impression after the events of the previous game, but again, this prior knowledge isn’t essential to enjoy the Pirate Yakuza experience — but be warned that much of Infinite Wealth’s story will be spoiled for those who haven’t played it yet. As always, there’s much to see and do, with various treasures to set ashore in search of and enemy fleets to tackle in open water — not to mention the ridiculous side activities to enjoy in between story missions.
It’s worth noting that an explorable Japanese location is entirely absent in Pirate Yakuza, with the location set firmly in Hawaii and surrounds. This absence isn’t felt too harshly, though, with a couple of new locations to ensure there’s a fresh flavour alongside the established Honolulu sandbox.
As for side activities, players can expect returning mainstays like darts, karaoke, gambling, golf and a batting cage, alongside a wealth of substories that showcase the wacky world and its characters as only Like a Dragon can. More recent activities like Dragon Kart and Honolulu’s Crazy Delivery also return, so this is one seriously stacked entry that combines some of the best mini games in the series. What’s more, a lot of these activities will culminate in a new crew member to assign to Majima’s ship, so it always feels worthwhile to try to do everything on offer.
At sea, players can visit smaller islands to hunt for treasure, take out enemy ships and partake in a lengthy side quest that sees Majima and crew fight another pirate outfit as they attempt to recover a stolen treasure. It’s fairly repetitive but engaging enough, and actually manages to feel like an important part of the main story given its crossover with some of the main characters from the campaign. Naval exploration is fairly sparse on the whole, though, with repetitive trawling through large open water spaces with only a few map icons to chase after. It’s hardly fitting to complain about reused assets in the series that practically wrote the book on how to do it well, but the seafaring in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii stretches this to its limit. The best the experience has to offer is certainly on land, but that’s not to say that the pirate-themed antics aren’t enjoyable throughout — just don’t expect Black Flag levels of seafaring detail.
Still, this minor negative doesn’t overshadow what is a fun addition to the ongoing Like a Dragon lore, giving a fan-favourite character some much-needed screen time and a veritable ship-load of things to do. Those who already love the series won’t be disappointed, and for all who haven’t yet played a Yakuza game or who want to scratch that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag itch, it’s a great place to jump in.
